How to Handle Recurring Payments

by Kathryn Hatter

Bills don't have to stress you out if you schedule recurring payments.

When you’ve got bills that hit each month, always on the same date and always the same amount, these are recurring payments. These predictable payments can make it easy to budget because they don’t change. Handle recurring payments by scheduling them into your monthly budget. When the date for the payment rolls around, you’ll be all set with money in your account because you thought ahead and made a scheduled payment plan.

Log in to your online banking account with your username and password. If you don’t have online banking options, enroll with your bank. Set up your account by choosing a username, password and security questions.

Enter the payee information – this is the person or business you need to pay. Get bank routing information from the payee to set up this payment, if applicable. Some companies are not bank-affiliated and because you're sending your payment directly to the company, you won't need a routing number.

Select the account that you want to use for the recurring payment by highlighting this account number. If you only have one account with the bank, you won’t have to select an account.

Enter the payment amount into the field. Double-check to make sure you enter it correctly – no decimal point errors or you may end up with a nasty surprise. The payment tool may have a radio button for you to select to ensure that each recurring payment is the same amount.

Enter the payment date you want the bank to take the payment out of your account.

Set the frequency – probably monthly – by selecting the correct frequency from the dropdown menu.

Set the time period that you want to continue making the payment, if applicable. If you want the payment to continue indefinitely, choose this option.

Verify that you created the recurring payment correctly by double-checking all of the information you entered.

Click the “Schedule” button to schedule the recurring payment.

Tips

If online banking doesn't work for you, call customer service to set up a recurring payment over the phone. Provide all the payment details -- including payee, date and amount -- and the bank will set up the recurring payment to occur according to your schedule.

If you need to change or cancel recurring payments at some point in the future, just log in to your account and make the changes.

References

About the Author

Kathryn Hatter is a veteran home-school educator, as well as an accomplished gardener, quilter, crocheter, cook, decorator and digital graphics creator. As a regular contributor to Natural News, many of Hatter's Internet publications focus on natural health and parenting. Hatter has also had publication on home improvement websites such as Redbeacon.